V-Ray

V-Ray is a biased computer-generated imagery rendering software application developed by Bulgarian software company Chaos. V-Ray is a commercial plug-in for third-party 3D computer graphics software applications and is used for visualizations and computer graphics in industries such as media, entertainment, film and video game production, industrial design, product design and architecture.

V-Ray

Render created using V-Ray for Rhinoceros 3D, demonstrating the advanced effects V-Ray is capable of, such as refraction and caustics
Developer(s)	Chaos
Initial release	1997 (1997)
Stable release	5, update 1.3 (V-Ray Standalone) / July 13, 2021 (2021-07-13)
Operating system	Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows
Type	Rendering system
License	Proprietary commercial software
Website	www.chaosgroup.com

V-Ray rendering of a kitchen using SketchUp

Folded paper: SketchUp drawing rendered using V-Ray, demonstrating shading and global illumination

Render created using V-Ray for Rhinoceros 3D, demonstrating the advanced effects V-Ray is capable of, such as reflection, depth of field, and the shape of the aperture (in this case, a hexagon)

Overview

V-Ray is a rendering engine that uses global illumination algorithms, including path tracing, photon mapping, irradiance maps and directly computed global illumination.

The desktop 3D applications that are supported by V-Ray are:

• Autodesk 3ds Max
• Autodesk Revit
• Cinema 4D
• Maya
• Nuke
• Rhinoceros
• SketchUp
• Katana
• Unreal Engine
• Houdini
• Blender

Academic and stand-alone versions of V-Ray are also available.

Modo support was discontinued at the end of 2021.

Notable studios using V-Ray

North America

United States

• Method Studios
• Digital Domain
• Blur Studio
• Zoic Studios
• Apple Inc.
• Hogarth Worldwide

Canada

• Bardel Entertainment

Europe

France

• Zagtoon

Netherlands

• PostOffice Amsterdam

Germany

• Scanline VFX

See also

• List of 3D rendering software

Further reading

• Francesco Legrenzi, V-Ray - The Complete Guide, 2008
• Markus Kuhlo and Enrico Eggert, Architectural Rendering with 3ds Max and V-Ray: Photorealistic Visualization, Focal Press, 2010
• Ciro Sannino, Photography and Rendering with V-Ray, GC Edizioni, 2012
• Luca Deriu, V-Ray e Progettazione 3D, EPC Editore, 2013
• Ciro Sannino, Chiaroscuro with V-Ray, GC Edizioni, 2019

External links

• Media related to V-Ray at Wikimedia Commons
• Chaos Group
• V-Ray at rhino3d.com
• A Closer Look At VRAY Architectural Review of V-Ray
• VRay Material Downloads and Resource Library
• VRAYforC4D - the website of V-Ray for Cinema4d, made by LAUBlab KG
• Free Material Library